


Perfect

by ScribbleGeek



Category: Naruto
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27044104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribbleGeek/pseuds/ScribbleGeek
Summary: "You know," Iruka started as he came close enough for his partner to hear him. "This might give people the wrong idea."Kakashi had scratched the back of his head. "What idea? That I'm so smitten with my boyfriend that I can't even stay away for a day? 'Cus that's not wrong."Oh, there he was, the charmer."No," Iruka had grinned, not willing to let Kakashi off the hook so easily. "I was thinking about the type of ideas people get when grown men stare at playing children, without any of them being his own."Kakashi's face fell for a moment, then he glanced around them, as if to make sure no one had called the cops on him, and cleared his throat. "Well, I guess there's only one way to avoid that type of misunderstanding in the future."When Iruka didn't catch on, Kakashi had inhaled deeply, straightened up, and apparently gathered enough courage to speak more clearly. "I just… might have been inconsiderate when you talked about having children."(Or in which Iruka thinks back to his life with Kakashi before they became parents.)(It's just a bunch of fluff, really.)
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Comments: 10
Kudos: 140





	Perfect

Iruka had a hard time containing his excitement when he heard the key in the front door. He inhaled slowly and flipped the page of his book, not realizing that he hadn't even finished reading the page.

The door opened and closed. He could hear the shuffling of shoes being rubbed against the doormat, and the sound of Kakashi's keys as they hit the wooden bowl on the low cabinet by the door. He didn't call for Iruka the way he used to do before.

Before they were parents.

Instead, he moved silently, displaying care that Iruka never had thought Kakashi would be capable of because of a _child_. He hadn't liked kids all that much when they had met. Then again, they had been in college, focused on nothing else but their studies, and each other. They had been young then, too. Iruka a freshman, and Kakashi, being four years older and already having finished his bachelor's, was hard at work to get his master's degree.

They had no thought of children at all until they were both finished and working within each of their fields.

"If I thought kids were enjoyable I would have become a school teacher, not a professor," Kakashi had muttered the first time Iruka touched on the subject.

His lanky partner had been laying on his back on the couch and didn't bother to look at Iruka as he spoke. His nose was deep into one of the cheap romance novels that English Literature Professor Kakashi Hatake enjoyed reading in his spare time (at work too, sometimes, to be honest).

Iruka had merely sighed, and pushed back the hint of irritation - that would get him nowhere. "Well. I'm a school teacher and I do want kids."

That caught Kakashi's attention, and he tore himself away from the book. "You do?"

His partner's surprise made Iruka nervous. "Well, yes. I know we never really talked about it, but I thought…" He trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

"You know I don't like kids." Kakashi almost sounded accusatory, but mostly - he sounded scared. "And I still want to get a Ph.D. someday, having a kid at the same time…"

"Yeah, I know." Iruka decided to back off and waved his hand as to clear the air of the subject. "I know, nevermind."

He turned back to his own (less smutty) book. He didn't want to pressure Kakashi about the subject, not when it seemed to scare him so much. Iruka figured that his partner would relax after the topic was dropped, but he could see Kakashi watching him in his peripheral view for a long time. Finally, he dove back behind the book cover. It pictured a scantily clad young woman in the arms of a shirtless, muscular man.

Iruka held back a sigh. He figured there were some things that they would never see eye to eye about, but he couldn't help feeling sad about children potentially being one of those things.

They didn't talk about it again. Life continued as usual, and Iruka figured that perhaps he'd try to bring it up after a while when Kakashi had had some time to process the fact that Iruka did want kids.

Just a couple of weeks later he caught sight of the tall figure, only made taller by the unkempt, gray hair that was sticking straight up per usual, in the place where Iruka least expected to see him; the school he worked at.

It was recess and Iruka had been busy comforting a little girl who had tripped on a toy and hit her knee. She wasn't in his class, he guessed she was only in first grade, and she had looked at him with some apprehension at first. It had passed quickly, though, and after having gone through all the steps (helping her get up, looking at the bruise to make sure there was no blood, and blowing the mandatory air at it) she also allowed him to brush the dirt off the front of her jacket, pick up her hat from the ground to give that the same treatment, and help her put it back on. Her large eyes had still been filled with tears, so he had wiped a few away with his thumb and then nudged her chin and said "chin up, now!". That had made her smile. He received a hug in thanks, and then she was off.

Kakashi had looked sheepish when he was spotted and reluctantly flicked two fingers up in greeting, almost as if he was calling a waiter. Iruka had to stifle a laugh at how uncomfortable he looked.

"You know," he started as he came close enough for his partner to hear him. "This might give people the wrong idea."

Kakashi had scratched the back of his head. "What idea? That I'm so smitten with my boyfriend that I can't even stay away for a day? 'Cus that's not wrong."

Oh, there he was, the _charmer_.

"No," Iruka had grinned, not willing to let Kakashi off the hook so easily. "I was thinking about the type of ideas people get when grown men stare at playing children, without any of them being his own."

Kakashi's face fell for a moment, then he glanced around them, as if to make sure no one had called the cops on him, and cleared his throat. " _Well_ , I guess there's only one way to avoid that type of misunderstanding in the future."

"Hm?" Iruka tipped his head to one side as he regarded his blushing partner. Well, he assumed Kakashi was blushing, since his face was hidden under the face mask he always wore outside. He had all the other signs going on; one hand on the back of his head, the other in his pocket, the slight bend at the knees, and - yeah, there it was; the nervous laugh.

"What are you on about?" Iruka shook his head, not at all understanding.

When Iruka didn't catch on, Kakashi had inhaled deeply, straightened up, and apparently gathered enough courage to speak more clearly. "I just… might have been inconsiderate when you talked about having children."

Iruka had stared at him, silent. He had pushed that conversation to the back of his mind and hadn't thought about it at all for days. Kakashi bringing it up was a surprise, to say the least. He opened his mouth to assure Kakashi that there was nothing to apologize for, but he didn't get the chance.

"I sort of came here to see what it is that makes you like them so much, and well," Kakashi exhaled slowly and looked away, "I guess I can see the appeal. When it's you."

"What are you saying?" Iruka didn't want to jump to conclusions.

Kakashi's gaze met his, pinning him in place. "I am saying I don't think I'd mind having kids. If it was with you." He said it calmly, and without the hesitation from earlier.

"That is-" Iruka breathed, suddenly a little lightheaded, but managing to stay focused "-progress, I guess. But 'not minding' is not enough. It's a big commitment."

"I know, I know." Kakashi scratched his forehead and sighed. "I know it's not enough, but still; seeing you like that, comforting that kid, I mean… It made me feel some type of way, and..." He made a strange sound that Iruka couldn't interpret. "I don't know, I just don't feel as opposed to the idea as I thought. Quite the opposite, even."

Iruka stared at him, mind racing. "You had such a sudden change of heart only from seeing me wipe dirt from a kid's hat?"

Kakashi kicked his foot on the ground. Iruka thought he looked like a big kid who had to confess having done something bad.

"No," the lovable dumbass admitted. "I wouldn't even have come if I wasn't already considering it. If I really was against it I would have stayed far away from both kids and the subject, hoping that you'd never bring it up again so we could just keep being the way we have always been."

Iruka couldn't fight the small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "But here you are."

Kakashi had sighed, but Iruka could always tell when he was smiling, face mask or not - and he was. "Here I am."

By then Iruka had forgotten he was at work. He had thrown his arms around his partner, pressing his face into Kakashi's shoulder, completely unable to hold back the hopeful happiness that surged through his body. His heart had threatened to punch a hole through his chest. Kakashi had wound his arms around him and lifted him off the ground. That usually pissed Iruka off, but at that moment, he loved it.

They had talked about it a lot more after that moment before actually starting to look into adoption. That was when the next obstacle reared its head.

"'If you are unmarried, you must be at least 25 years old'," Iruka read out loud.

They both stared at the screen in silence for a moment.

"I guess… we'll have to wait a bit longer, then." He'd rather say it than wait for Kakashi to do it. "It's just another year, it's not that far off. Or you-" it was a little hard to say it, but he wouldn't ignore the possibility "-file the application by yourself since you're old enough."

Kakashi had nodded in silence, and Iruka could see his mind working as he mulled over the information. Well, that was that. They could keep learning more about the process and prepare for when they could file their application. Or Kakashi could do it alone. They'd have a chance at getting a child, but Iruka would not legally be their parent. The thought made it a little hard to breathe.

"Or we just get married."

Iruka turned his head so fast he almost snapped his neck. "What?"

Kakashi met his gaze, without even a hint of hesitation. "Let's get married."

"You're serious," Iruka breathed, shocked. "I thought you didn't support 'the concept of marriage'." Kakashi had told him as much back when they had met in college.

At that moment, though, he just shrugged. "I wouldn't mind being married to you."

"'Wouldn't mind'," Iruka mimicked. "How romantic. Happy to know you 'don't mind' being with me after what, almost _five years_ -"

"Now, now, you know what I mean."

The words might have been able to piss Iruka off, if it hadn't been for the look Kakashi gave him. The way he spoke was almost dismissive and _infuriating_ , but his eyes were only soft, only affectionate - and maybe a little bit nervous.

Iruka's irritation melted away, and he willingly let it go. He chewed on his bottom lip. They had lived together for so long, and the only major decision they had ever made was to move in together. Now, everything else seemed to happen at once.

When he spoke, his voice was a little shaky, but he knew what he wanted. "Okay."

"'Okay' as in you know what I mean, or okay as in-"

"Let's do it. Let's get married."

Iruka hadn't spent any time fantasizing about what a proposal between them would be like, not since Kakashi so early on had dismissed the idea of ever getting married. But if he had expected something, well, considering his partner's personality this wasn't exactly uncharacteristic.

Kakashi's reaction to his answer, however, was.

He grabbed Iruka and tugged him close, pressing him so hard against his body that Iruka could feel the air being pushed from his lungs.

"Kakash-"

"I love you."

Iruka stilled in his arms at the words. His partner - wait, _fiance_ \- didn't say it that often, and Iruka had learned to treasure it every time it happened.

"I love you. You make me so happy, Iruka." Kakashi's voice had a slight tremor to it.

Iruka knew that sound, although he had not heard it more than once or twice during their time together. "Darling, are you crying? Are you okay?"

"I'm perfect. _You_ make _everything_ perfect. Even a depraved mess like me can't stay unaffected by how glorious you are."

They had once had a conversation that had had a similar tone to it, but that was when they were still in college, and Kakashi had gotten shitfaced on poorly mixed Tequila Sunrise. This time, however, Iruka was sure that Kakashi was sober, which made the excessive compliments hit differently.

"Now, now, don't exaggerate," he tried, but Kakashi shook his head fiercely against his shoulder.

"I am not exaggerating." The tearful look he gave Iruka almost made his heart stop. "You are by far the kindest, most patient person I have ever met. You're making me want things I never knew I needed. You are making me rethink things, change my way of seeing the world, and I'm only better for it. Better because of _you_ , I-" He fell silent and his eyes widened "-I am an _idiot_. I should have done this differently. I should have asked _properly_ , you deserve better than this, I-"

"Kakashi," Iruka interrupted before his boyfriend, _shit_ \- _fiance_ \- came apart completely before him. "It was perfect. You managed to surprise me, you told me how you feel about me, you even cried a little - darling, what else could anyone want from a proposal?"

Kakashi stared at him in disbelief for a while, and then he reached up to stroke his thumb over Iruka's cheek.

"Perfect," he whispered as he leaned in for a kiss. "Perfect, perfect, _perfect_."

He uttered the same line of words again a few weeks later at their wedding. And again, after almost a whole year, when they got to meet Naruto for the very first time.

Now, that perfect baby was sound asleep right on the other side of the bedroom wall.

Kakashi must have moved like a ninja down the carpeted hallway, past Naruto's bedroom door, and through their own, because Iruka hadn't been able to hear a sound since the keys had hit the bowl. Iruka was still staring at the page in his book when his husband entered, although he didn't see the words, too excited to tell Kakashi about the evening he and Naruto had had.

"Hi," Kakashi whispered, and Iruka smiled back at him.

"Did you have fun?" he asked softly, and Kakashi grimaced and crawled into bed, still fully clothed.

He stretched out next to Iruka with a sigh. "'Fun' is perhaps not the word I would use, but it wasn't terrible."

Iruka raised an eyebrow at him. "You never go to those things, what made you change your mind this time?"

Another grimace. "I lost a bet."

Iruka tried not to laugh out loud. "Gai?"

"Who else?" Kakashi answered. "It was his turn to decide on a challenge. Usually, he goes for things where we are on equal footing, but not this time." He shook his head. "I should have known he was up to something."

"So you lost and the prize he claimed was for you to go have drinks with him and the rest of the faculty?"

"Mhm."

Iruka sniggered and Kakashi sent him a wounded look. "Really? No support? No understanding of your poor husband's situation? Stuck at a stuffy bar along with loudmouths and know-it-alls for an entire evening?"

"I doubt there was anyone there who's a bigger know-it-all than you," Iruka deadpanned.

"Ow."

Iruka tried once again to contain his laughter but failed. He managed to mute it slightly by pressing the book to his face.

"Ha ha," Kakashi muttered and stuck a finger in Iruka's side.

"Stop!" he wheezed. "You already said it wasn't terrible, which for you must mean you had a pretty good time."

"Ah, well. It was alright. Asuma got a little drunk and got handsy with Kurenai. Shizune in HR almost came apart at the seams before it was clarified Kurenai didn't mind. Quite the opposite - they're dating." Kakashi seemed rather pleased about that.

"Good for them."

"Yeah, and about damn time." Kakashi sighed again, stretched, and placed his hands behind his head. "What about you, love? Did you have a good evening?"

Iruka's smile broadened. "Well… It was great actually."

"Mhm, why? Don't say 'cus I was away, my heart couldn't take it." Kakashi threw an arm over his eyes dramatically. He was clearly a little intoxicated.

Iruka scoffed. "No, it would have been even better if you had been here, actually. I would have loved to see your face."

Kakashi turned to look up at him, a confused frown between his brows. "What? What happened?"

Iruka closed his book and placed it in his lap - every movement was very slow and deliberate - before he faced his husband. "Naruto said a word."

Kakashi's head flew up, and he pushed himself to his elbows, eyes wide. "No way! I missed it!? What did he say?"

Iruka bit his lower lip for a moment, moved by the mere memory, and excited to tell his husband. "He called me 'dada'."

"No!" Kakashi breathed in astonishment.

"Yes!" Iruka stopped trying to contain himself and lifted his hands, gesturing as he talked. "And when he noticed my reaction _he kept saying_ it to get my attention."

Kakashi fell back on the bed with a groan, face in his hands. "Fuck. I mean, don't get me wrong - it's great, and adorable and _argh_! I can't believe you get to be 'dada'. What the heck will he call me? Isn't it confusing if we're both the same thing?"

"What? Darling, don't overthink it." Iruka laughed lightly. "But I guess you could be 'father' if you want to make sure there's no confusion."

" _Father_ \- makes me sound like an old man," Kakashi almost whined. "Plus, it'll take forever before he can say a word like that."

Iruka had a hard time containing himself; perhaps he was a little _too_ happy about being the first one to be called anything by Naruto. "Well, you are the elder parent, so that makes total sense to me," he said with a shrug.

Kakashi glared at him. "Well, as the _elder_ I am vetoing that suggestion."

Iruka reached out and raked his fingers through his husband's tousled hair. "I am only teasing you. Look; don't think too much about that, it'll sort itself out."

Kakashi's pained expression changed into something softer. "It's all I can think of right now, though," he said in mock thoughtfulness. "Alas, how could I not dwell on this for the rest of the night?"

Iruka scoffed. "Lord, you are such a drama queen."

Kakashi's demeanor changed and he looked up at Iruka, a smug smile on his lips. " _Lord_ \- now, there's a word. I would prefer that over 'father' any day."

Iruka doubted his husband would actually like to be called 'lord' since he barely even let his students call him Professor, and kept insisting they'd just call him by his first name. Either way; Iruka decided to play along.

"You are not having our son calling you _lord_ , Kakashi."

A sparkle entered his husband's dark eyes. "Perhaps not, but I kind of liked hearing you do it."

Iruka realized that building on the joke might have been a mistake. "I did not call you _lord_ -"

"Mm, say it again, love." Without warning Kakashi rolled over, straddling Iruka and nuzzling his face against his neck.

Iruka laughed, a little louder than expected, and they both stilled for a moment, listening intently for any signs of the toddler having woken up. There was only silence.

"You _jerk_ ," Iruka wheezed.

Kakashi's eyebrows twitched mischievously. "Aw, come on, a little roleplay wouldn't hurt."

Iruka pushed his face away with the book. "You are reading far too many of those dirty romance novels."

"Keyword being _romance_ ," Kakashi said as he rounded the book and kissed Iruka's neck.

Iruka rolled his eyes. "Sure, if you say so - _my lord_." His tone was deeply mocking, but Kakashi didn't seem to care. He hummed and continued to kiss Iruka's neck, jaw, cheek, and just as he was about to reach his lips - a cry came from the other bedroom.

Kakashi groaned and rested his forehead against Iruka's shoulder.

"No complaining, my lord, the prince is calling you," Iruka joked and Kakashi slumped against him in defeat. "Come on, you're up, I had him all evening. Go be a father."

Kakashi glared at him, but there was no real irritation behind it. He pushed himself off of Iruka with a sigh and hung his head dramatically as he dragged himself towards the door. He grumbled as he left, and Iruka heard him mutter something to Naruto and the rustling of fabric as Kakashi picked the baby up. Then his tone completely changed, and Iruka leaned his head back against the pillows and smiled as he listened to his husband comforting their son.

He closed his eyes and relished in the happiness that flowed through him at the sound.

" _Perfect_."

**Author's Note:**

> This was just something that came to me while working on another story about Naruto, written from his POV, where Iruka and Kakashi are his parents. I guess we'll see if that one ever makes the light of day, but at least it inspired me to write this little fluff piece.
> 
> About the adoption stuff; I just googled what I could and went with what I found. It is of course a complicated process and I didn't want to dive too deep - I just wanted to write Kakashi and Iruka being cute.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
